Youths stable after island crash

The two boys injured in a car crash on Matakana Island are in a stable condition in Tauranga Hospital today.

A 12-year-old and 16-year-old were injured when the car they were in crashed head-on into a bank on the island at about 3am on Saturday.

A RAV4 being driven by a 16-year-old crashed into a bank on Matakana Island at the weekend. Photo: Supplied.

The pair, believed to be brothers, were travelling home from a family member’s house when the 16-year-old lost control of the RAV4 and ploughed into the bank.

The Tauranga-based TrustPower TECT rescue helicopter was called and transported two paramedics and Tauranga Fire Brigade senior station officer Phil Price to the scene.

Omokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade and a St John Ambulance travelled to the scene via the Matakana Island barge.

Helicopter pilot Liam Brettkelly says the car was travelling along a straight road towards a T-intersection when the 16-year-old lost control and skidded through the intersection head-on into the bank.

“It appears both occupants of the car were not wearing seat belts and alcohol may have been a factor.

“Both males received leg fractures.”

The 16-year-old was flown to Tauranga Hospital in a serious condition, while the 12-year-old passenger was taken to hospital in a St John ambulance via the Matakana Island barge.

Tauranga senior station officer Phil Price was called to the TECT helicopter base in 17th Avenue at 3am to aid in the extraction of the two injured boys.

“There were two paramedics flown and as officer in charge of the rescue equipment I went. We landed near the forestry fire station and transferred to a ute and drove up to the crash scene.”

Phil says due to the nature of the boys’ injuries they were unable to get out of the car on their own.

“They were not getting out by themselves, the car was badly damaged and they were pretty banged up. We were able to extricate them without heavy rescue equipment.

“With the injuries they had they weren’t moving at all.”

Phil says rescue workers entered through the back of the RAV4, cut the back seats out and slid a backboard in to extract the two boys.

“One of them was in the vehicle for a long time being stablised and put into a special leg traction splint.”

The 12-year-old boy was taken to Tauranga Hospital in the ambulance on the barge while the

16-year-old driver was taken to the helicopter and arrived back at Tauranga Hospital at 5.30am.

Police are investigating the incident and say a blood sample of the 16-year-old was taken from the scene.